David Barker Stevenson
Encyclopedia
David Barker Stevenson was a businessman and politician in Canada West.
He was born in Clinton, New York
in 1801. After his father died, he moved to Halowell Township in Upper Canada
to work in his uncle's general store. After his uncle's death in 1833, he continued to operate the store in partnership with his aunt until 1848, when he formed a partnership with Thomas Nichol. In 1834, he became a magistrate in the Prince Edward District
. He also sold timber, real estate and operated a distillery
. In 1836, he became the president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company in the Prince Edward District. He was a district councillor for the township from 1842 to 1849 and district warden from 1847 to 1849. In 1848, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Prince Edward; he was reelected in 1851 and 1854. He was also mayor of Picton
in 1854. He supported John A. Macdonald
in the assembly. He opposed representation by population and supported Kingston
as capital of the province.
He died in Picton in 1859.
He was born in Clinton, New York
Clinton, Dutchess County, New York
Clinton is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,010 at the 2000 census. The town is named after George Clinton, an early governor of New York....
in 1801. After his father died, he moved to Halowell Township in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
to work in his uncle's general store. After his uncle's death in 1833, he continued to operate the store in partnership with his aunt until 1848, when he formed a partnership with Thomas Nichol. In 1834, he became a magistrate in the Prince Edward District
Prince Edward County, Ontario
Prince Edward County is a single-tier municipality and a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario.-Geography:Prince Edward County is located in Southern Ontario on a large irregular headland or littoral at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, just west of the head of the St. Lawrence River...
. He also sold timber, real estate and operated a distillery
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
. In 1836, he became the president of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company in the Prince Edward District. He was a district councillor for the township from 1842 to 1849 and district warden from 1847 to 1849. In 1848, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Prince Edward; he was reelected in 1851 and 1854. He was also mayor of Picton
Picton, Ontario
Picton is an unincorporated community located in Prince Edward County in southern Central Ontario, Canada. It is the county seat and largest community. Picton is located at the south-western end of Picton Bay, a branch of the Bay of Quinte, which is along the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario...
in 1854. He supported John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
in the assembly. He opposed representation by population and supported Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
as capital of the province.
He died in Picton in 1859.